The inventive concepts relate to methods of manufacturing semiconductor devices and, more particularly, to methods of manufacturing semiconductor devices that include buried contacts, and to semiconductor devices that are manufactured by these methods.
As the integration level of semiconductor devices is increased, the design rules for the components included in such semiconductor devices is decreasing. As a result, it is becoming more difficult to form interconnection lines and buried contacts (BCs) interposed therebetween in highly-integrated semiconductor devices. For example, in a highly-integrated semiconductor device, since the size of the openings for buried contacts is reduced, a not open (NOP) margin is decreasing and a BC recess distribution is becoming poor.